SANCHEZ ADMITS SMOKING MARIJUANA

Republican gubernatorial candidate John Sanchez says he experimented with
marijuana as a youth but hasn't used illegal drugs as an adult. However,
Sanchez answered differently several months ago when asked about drug use.

In a radio interview with other Republican gubernatorial candidates about
three weeks before the June 4 primary, Sanchez failed to mention his
experimentation with marijuana.

Sanchez, Lt. Gov. Walter Bradley and state Rep. Rob Burpo, R-Albuquerque,
were asked on a KKOB-AM talk show, "Have you guys done drugs?"

Sanchez was the last to answer. Burpo and Bradley had said they never used
illegal drugs.

"You know you're asked a lot of these questions as you're on the campaign
trail. And I've always said adamantly, I haven't done drugs and I don't do
them now. We should be providing hope and opportunity for our people in
this state," Sanchez told the radio audience.

Sanchez told The Albuquerque Tribune, in a candidate guide published this
week, that he had "experimented" with marijuana when he was younger but
hasn't used illegal drugs as an adult.

Jay McCleskey, campaign manager for Sanchez, said Friday that Sanchez
thought the radio-program question in May was directed at drug use as an adult.

"On KKOB, he was talking about as an adult. If he didn't qualify that, then
he just misspoke on it. But he's never tried to deny the fact that he
experimented with marijuana as a youth," said McCleskey.

He said Sanchez, in a campaign in 2000 against then House Speaker Raymond
Sanchez, D-Albuquerque, had acknowledged marijuana use as a youth.

McCleskey said Sanchez told a reporter in 2000 about his marijuana use, but
the remark was never published.

"What I'm getting at is it's not fair to say that he's trying to hide it,
and that all of a sudden, he's now coming out with it," said McCleskey.

Democratic candidate Bill Richardson has not used illegal drugs, according
to Billy Sparks, a campaign spokesman.

Green Party candidate David Bacon acknowledged Friday he had used drugs but
not for 15 to 20 years.

New Mexican reporter Steve Terrell contributed to this report.